You're stepping out of your chair to address a group, whether that's a work team, colleagues at a business event or an audience of paid attendees. As you clear your throat, swallow and shuffle your papers, the blood pumps in your ears, your heart is racing, and your throat is so dry you can't possibly speak your lines. Every muscle is tense and you want to run.

It's called the "fight or flight" response. It's also called stage fright. Stage fright comes in many different forms. For some, it's a nervous energy that disappears as soon as they begin speaking, or a familiar sensation that's always under the surface but feels manageable most of the time. For others, it's so debilitating that they turn down opportunities to speak or even change jobs so they won't have to.

Dr. Louise Montello of Performance Wellness has worked with musicians for many years, and has developed a rich set of tools that we can all use in moments of stress and anxiety.